Have you planned your summer trip yet? If you are travelling to Spanish-speaking countries you might have to take an airplane. Here’s some useful airport Spanish vocabulary that you can use. So what are the different steps you have to follow before and while flying? What steps do you need to follow before you land at the your destination point? What other things can you do at the airport?

Airport Spanish vocabulary – travelling by plane in Spanish

1. First of all, you need to go to the airport, check your flight and look for the check-in counter (or mostrador) of your company. Of course, you will have to check in your luggage: facturar tus maletas o valijas. You will have to hand in your plane tickets (pasaje o billete) and you will get your boarding gate (tarjeta de embarque), which you will have to use to board (embarcar).

2. Secondly, you will have to pass a security control. This is what we call pasar el control.

3. Now, look for your boarding gate or puerta de embarque. Wait until the time arrives and get on.

4. You already know the following steps. Probably you will have to hear some instructions, fasten seatbelts (abrocharse el cinturón de seguridad). Normally, there’s a whole crew (tripulación) working for you: pilotos and azafatos. Remember there’s a chaleco salvavidas under your seat. The plane takes off (despegar), flyes and then, it lands (aterrizar). Get off the plane… And now you are probably relieved!

5. The next thing you need to do is go through customs (aduana). Show your passport (pasaporte) and answer any questions you may be asked, and say ¡hola! to the new country.

6. Last, but not least, pick up your luggage: recoge tu equipaje. Make sure that every piece of luggage has arrived, and you made it! Now you are ready to enjoy your stay and practice Spanish!

We would like to know what type of “traveller” you are! How do you deal with taking planes and flying? Which type of transportation do you prefer? Are you a “methodic” traveller who optimizes time or do you prefer to play it by ear and be spontaneous?